Gas Tax Not Necessary also short-sighted

Please consider the following comments and contentions concerning “another tax imposed” on the people of New Jersey and the general populace.

A rent media news source NJN revealed that because of lack of available funds and budget balancing methods a .23-cent per gallon gas tax is being suggested. It was also mentioned “other” taxes which are many may be ended or amended.

Tax must include storm drain upgrades.

First and foremost no such tax should be implemented unless it includes storm drain up grades. Old storm drains with wide opening are an on-going and obvious source of water pollution from trash and litter due to lack of proper street cleaning and clean community law/ordinance enforcements. Everywhere one looks plastic debris is waiting to enter the storm drain systems. At least new designs in storm drains can help alleviate this lack of social concern concerning mass-produced convenient consumption. Our rivers, streams, landscapes are saturated with corporate waste products. This continued norm should not be accepted, nor can minor efforts by volunteers or prisoners remedy this aberrant behavior.

Tax those who can afford more

This tax also seems most convenient and evasive of other tax possibilities. In time of imposed austerity on ordinary citizens while rich people and corporates avoid or do not pay they shares accordingly with bogus flat-rate taxes of equal percentage no gas tax should be considered at all especially at this .23-cent a gallon rate. Offshore tax havens and tax breaks given corporations for remaining in or opening operations, many without good land use practices developing new land rather than using already developed areas, only increase costs for locals and degrade quality of life and environment.

Unfair system what taxes will be reduced eliminated?

Every time one buys anything other than basic food to live one is taxed; even birdseed is taxed. Where does all this money go? Very little transparency or accountability exists in these matters. Balancing a budget becomes meaningless when banks for civic necessities like infrastructure are not acknowledged or created. Paying taxes is a civic requirement especially for those whom benefit most from the services and infrastructures; however corporate entities like Wallmarts McDonalds any large multi-national corporate avoid their responsibilities and are subsidized by tax payers. No tax increases of this sort would be required if a fair tax system was in place to begin with. (If the federal government which has been corporatized) gave to the States of the Union rather than foreign interest for corporate profits and exploitation overseas no State tax would be necessary as it was in the past.

The gas tax is an easy target and exploitative in nature. In a society requiring motor vehicles this tax will increase revenues easily and fast at the cost of how much for how long. In fact it will generate so much revenue it would require reductions or eliminations in other tax schemes immediately and before this gas tax was implemented.

Without public safe guards like rent stabilizations, fair mortgage rates, health care and not health insurance, farm subsidies and regional planning to ensure better land use our quality of life will only become the value of money not the people who produce the money in a meaningful way.

What ever became of the lottery funds for education? NJ has more than enough ways and means of taxation. What is lacking is the will to tax those whom can most afford it. Placing certain classes of society above the people is what has taken place. Those who have shall not have too much or too little. The 1% has shown us they are such a group. A private economy is a dangerous one and serves not the public interest.

In conclusion energy giants like Exxon, Shell, BP can all be taxed more, not the consumers at the pumps. They have exceeded any normal need for money. Billionaires are not affected by any price changes or economic depressions they are above and beyond. It is they who need to be held accountable in paying more to the greater good of the nation the same nation that allowed their prosperity. If we are in fact a nation not a corporation this give back from the wealthily must occur not taxing those whom pay already too much in so many ways. The lack of corporate responsibility and free market schemes already costs ordinary people too much, from litter taxes, to tax on bird seed and prepared food, we are the most tax people on the planet, what does the ordinary person get in return, austerity.

Gas tax bad idea

Sincerely,